kharon
Damn, damn, damn. It was time. It was time! He stopped what he was doing, his heart racing and eyes wide. He'd made sure not to be too far from her. He promised he'd be there, and he wouldn't miss it. Not for anything.
There were others there already when he caught up to her again. Dad. And gray eyes fell to another child, a boy. He frowned and stopped. Who the hell is this? This isn't Kali. Immediately agitated, he looked to Father, trying to bury the hurt and the fear that he would be replaced. He didn't want a brother, only Kali. No, he wouldn't be his brother. He wouldn't. Tears stung his eyes and he glanced away, to Mother instead.
They'd grown a little closer, he thought. He knew she liked when he was around, that she felt comforted by him. He tried to show it now to this new boy, this was his mother and she loved him more. He wouldn't be replaced, not by her. His soft muzzle reached out to her, brushed sweetly in offered comfort to her leg. Kali would come soon, be right here with him soon. But Mother swung around and snapped at him, taking him by surprise. He gaped back at her in shocked hurt, young pride so quickly wounded, then with slumped shoulders and head low, he wandered a few paces away.
He plopped himself on the ground and curled up, turning his head away from them and letting the tears fall silently on his leg. He'd never felt so low before, so alone and unwanted. He knew when Kali was here, he'd become just background noise. How could he not when she was such a bright and beautiful person already, even if he was the only one that knew it yet. But he wasn't prepared for this, a new brother with a new sister. Practically the same age. Kali would bond and grow up with this little boy, closer to him than with Kharon. That hurt the worst. Kali wouldn't favor him. None of them would, but Kali.. if he could have had at least her favor, he would be okay.
At least he would always have Kylin, maybe.
With a last groan and push from Mother, it fell quieter. He wiped his tears inconspicuously on his arm before schooling his face and turning. Mother was twisted, cleaning a tiny little nose so she could breathe before laying back down again with a fatigued sigh. She shouldn't be so tired, he thought. She shouldn't have traveled to Pangea with Father. He should have found a way to go without her somehow. But it was her that they wanted, though he couldn't imagine why, and so she'd had no choice. Still. If she could have waited until after the birth, maybe. Not that it mattered now.
God, look. Kali was impossibly beautiful. Heart-stoppingly gorgeous. Even under the slick of birth, he could see she'd be a perfect, soft gray splashed with a little white like he was, pale, purple hair. She was perfect. So incredible. He ached to reach to her with his mind, held himself strictly back from doing it. What if she didn't even remember him? What if being born takes away her memory somehow? What if she liked that new boy better, too? He didn't want to force her to like him.
So he could only stare at her quietly from his place on the ground not far away, sullen and hurt as he prepared himself for more heartache. He waited, prayed and prayed and wished that she would recognize him. That she could love him. Kali, he wanted to whisper, aloud or in her mind, but he couldn't. He couldn't speak past the painful lump in his throat, couldn't bear to bring her attention to him if she didn't want him after all.
She had barely taken her first breath, and already he loved her.
There were others there already when he caught up to her again. Dad. And gray eyes fell to another child, a boy. He frowned and stopped. Who the hell is this? This isn't Kali. Immediately agitated, he looked to Father, trying to bury the hurt and the fear that he would be replaced. He didn't want a brother, only Kali. No, he wouldn't be his brother. He wouldn't. Tears stung his eyes and he glanced away, to Mother instead.
They'd grown a little closer, he thought. He knew she liked when he was around, that she felt comforted by him. He tried to show it now to this new boy, this was his mother and she loved him more. He wouldn't be replaced, not by her. His soft muzzle reached out to her, brushed sweetly in offered comfort to her leg. Kali would come soon, be right here with him soon. But Mother swung around and snapped at him, taking him by surprise. He gaped back at her in shocked hurt, young pride so quickly wounded, then with slumped shoulders and head low, he wandered a few paces away.
He plopped himself on the ground and curled up, turning his head away from them and letting the tears fall silently on his leg. He'd never felt so low before, so alone and unwanted. He knew when Kali was here, he'd become just background noise. How could he not when she was such a bright and beautiful person already, even if he was the only one that knew it yet. But he wasn't prepared for this, a new brother with a new sister. Practically the same age. Kali would bond and grow up with this little boy, closer to him than with Kharon. That hurt the worst. Kali wouldn't favor him. None of them would, but Kali.. if he could have had at least her favor, he would be okay.
At least he would always have Kylin, maybe.
With a last groan and push from Mother, it fell quieter. He wiped his tears inconspicuously on his arm before schooling his face and turning. Mother was twisted, cleaning a tiny little nose so she could breathe before laying back down again with a fatigued sigh. She shouldn't be so tired, he thought. She shouldn't have traveled to Pangea with Father. He should have found a way to go without her somehow. But it was her that they wanted, though he couldn't imagine why, and so she'd had no choice. Still. If she could have waited until after the birth, maybe. Not that it mattered now.
God, look. Kali was impossibly beautiful. Heart-stoppingly gorgeous. Even under the slick of birth, he could see she'd be a perfect, soft gray splashed with a little white like he was, pale, purple hair. She was perfect. So incredible. He ached to reach to her with his mind, held himself strictly back from doing it. What if she didn't even remember him? What if being born takes away her memory somehow? What if she liked that new boy better, too? He didn't want to force her to like him.
So he could only stare at her quietly from his place on the ground not far away, sullen and hurt as he prepared himself for more heartache. He waited, prayed and prayed and wished that she would recognize him. That she could love him. Kali, he wanted to whisper, aloud or in her mind, but he couldn't. He couldn't speak past the painful lump in his throat, couldn't bear to bring her attention to him if she didn't want him after all.
She had barely taken her first breath, and already he loved her.